Herald and tribune. [volume] (Jonesborough, Tenn.) 1869-current, 1887-05-19
THE LATE DIR. ]. @. HOLLANDS
OPINION.
A Physician Climbing the Editorial
Stairs.

A Physician Climbing the Editorial
Stairs.
The columns Of the newspapers appear
to be flooded with proprietary medicine
advertisements. As we cast our eye
over them, 1t brings to mind an article
that was published by the late DR.. Hol-
land in Scri5ner's Monthly. He says:
Nevertheless, 1t is a fact that many Of
the best proprietary medicines Of the day
were moro successful than many physi-
clans, and most Of them, It should be
remembered. were at first discovered or
used In actual medical practice. When,
however, any shrewd person. knowing
their virtue. and foreseeing their popu-
larity, secures, and advertises them, then,
in the opinion of the bigoted, all virtue
went out Of them"
Is not this absurd? This great man
appreciated the real merits Of popular
remedies, and the absurdity Of those that
derided them because public attention
was called to the article and the evidence
OF their cures. II the most noted physi-
clan should announce that he had made
a study of any certain organ or disease
of the body. or make his sign larger than
the code size, though he may have prac-
tised medicine and been a leader In all
medical counsels, Notwithstanding all
this, II he should presume to advertise and
decline to give HIS discovery to the pub
lie, he would be pronounced q quack
and a humbug, although he may have
spent his entire life and all his available
funds In pcrfecting his Investigations.
Again we say, absurd
If an ulcer is found upon ones arm,
and is cured by some dear soul of a
grandmother, outside of the code 1t will
be pronounced by the medical profession
an ulcer of little Importance. But II
treated under the code, causing sleepless
nights for o month, with the scientific
treatment, viz. plasters, washes dosing
with morphine, arsenic and other vile
substances, given to prevent blood pois-
oning OF deaden pain, and yet the ulcer
becomes malignant, and amputation is
made necessary at last, to save life, yet
all done according to the "isms' of the
medical code, this Is much more crafty
ing to the medical profession, and adds
more dignity to that distinguished order
than to be cured by the dear old grand
mothers remedy.
This appears like a severe a%rraignment,
yet we believe that 1t expresses the true
standing Of the medical profession In
regard to remedies discovered outside of
their special "isms." One of the most
perplexing things Of the day is the pop
larity of certain remedies, especially
Warmers safe cure, which we find for
sale everywhere. The physician of the
highest standing is ready to concede It's
merits and sustain the theories the pro-
prietors have made-that is, that it ben
efts in most Of the ailments Of the human
system because it assists in putting the
kidneys in proper condition, thereby
aiding in throwing off the impurities of
the blood, while others with less honesty
and experience deride, and are willing to
see their patient die scientifically, and
according to the code, rather than have
him cured by this great remedy. Yet
we notice that the popularity of the med
icine continues to grow year. by year.
The discoverer comes boldly before the
people with its merits, and proclaims
them from door to door in our opinion
much more honorably than the physician
who, %perchance, may secure o patient
from some catastrophe, and is permitted
to set q bone of an arm or q finger, which
he does with great dignity, yet very soon
after takes the liberty to climb the edi-
tors back stairs at 2 o'clock in the morn.
ing to have it announced in the morning
paper that CDR. So-and-so was in at
tendance" and thus ecures for his ben
eft a beautiful and free advertisement
We shall leave 1t to u readers. to say
which is thc wisest and most honorable